Tennis racket with weight attachment



July 11, 1967 M. A. HIGDON 3,330,560

TENNIS RACKET WITH WEIGHT ATTACHMENT Filed April 26, 1965 United StatesPatent 0.

3,330,560 TENNIS RACKET WITH WEIGHT ATTACHMENT Mark A. Higdon, 1405 N.11th St.,

Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 Filed Apr. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 450,731 9 Claims.(Cl. 273-73) This invention relates to a practice weight attachment andmore particularly to a practice weight attachment for tennis rackets andthe like.

It is a well proven theory that the use of weighted sports equipment isa desirable technique in strengthening the muscles of the athlete. Suchsports equipment as baseball bats, golf clubs, etc. have been weightedwith much success. An example of a practice weight attachment is to befound in my pending application, Ser. No. 351,422.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a practiceweight attachment for a tennis racket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a practice weightattachment for a tennis racket which may be left on the racket duringactual practice.

A further object of this invention is to provide a practice weightattachment for a tennis racket which will not become inadvertentlydetached therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a :practice weightattachment for a tennis racket which is adjustable to receive differentsizes of weights.

A further object of this invention is to provide a practice weightattachment for a tennis racket which is secured to the outer end of theframe portion of the tennis racket to place the weight as far aspossible from the users hand to utilize the weight to the greatestdegree.

A further object of this invention is to provide a practice weightattachment for tennis rackets which will strengthen the hand, wrist, armand shoulder of the user.

A further object of this invention is to provide a practice weightattachment for a tennis racket which may be deflected to conform to theshape of the frame portion of a tennis racket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a practice weightattachment for a tennis racket which is economical of manufacture,durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. V

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, andcombination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a back view of the sheet member and pocket means;

' FIG. 2 is an end view of the sheet member and pocket means as viewedfrom the right in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the weight portion of the device;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the weight portion of the device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the practice weight attachment;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the attachment secured to a tennisracket; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the attachment mounted on a tennisracket.

The numeral 10 generally designates a tennis racket having a handleportion 11, a substantially elliptical frame portion 13 and a stringnetwork 15 strung on frame 13.

The numeral 17 generally designates the practice weight attachment whichincludes a flexible sheet member 18 having an inner surface 19, an outersurface 21, opposite ends 23 and 25, and opposite sides 27 and 29. As

best seen in FIG. 1, sheet member 18 has a plurality of V-shaped notches31 extending inwardly from side 27 and a plurality of V-shaped notches33 extending inwardly from side 29. It can be seen that the notches atthe opposite ends -of the sheet member are shaped somewhat differentlythan the notches therebetween to facilitate the securing of theattachment to the racket as seen in FIG. 6. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, aplurality of grommets 35 extend through sheet member 18 adjacent side 27and a plurality of grommets 37 extend through sheet member 18 adjacentside 29. Sheet member 18 is also provided with a pair of grommets 39 and41 extending therethrough at its opposite ends. Grommets 35, 37, 39 and41 are adapted to receive laces 43 and 45 to secure the attachment tothe tennis racket in the manner seen in FIG. 6.

An elastic pocket means 47 is secured to inner surface 19 of sheetmember 18 by stitching 49 extending therethrough and is comprised ofspaced apart pocket members 51, 53 and 55. As best seen in FIG. 1,pocket members 51 and 55 are identical while pocket member 53 issubstantially smaller than the other two pocket members. It can be seenthat the outer ends of pocket members 51 and 55 have not been stitchedto permit a curved weight 57 to be slidably inserted in pocket means 47as seen in FIG. 5. As best seen in FIG. 3, weight 57 is tapered at itsopposite ends 59' and 61 and has substantially smooth, curved inner andouter surfaces which conform to the curvature of the frame of the tennisracket as seen in FIG. 6.

The normal method of operation is as follows. The particular weight tobe used in the attachment may vary according to the wishes of the userand is inserted into pocket means 47 from the outer end of either pocketmember 51 or pocket member 55. The tapered ends of the weight 57 permitsthe weight to be easily inserted in the pocket means while the elasticconstruction of the pocket means will stretch as seen in FIGS. 5 topermit various sizes of weights to be inserted into pocket means 47. Theattachment is then placed on the outer end of the frame of the tennisracket as seen in FIG. 6 and se cured thereto by laces 43 and 45 in themanner illustrated. It can be seen that each of laces 43 and 45 extendfrom the center of the attachment and terminate at the opposite ends ofthe sheet member. Such a lace arrangement prevents any shifting of theweight attachment with respect to the tennis racket. It can be seen inFIG. 6 that the opposite ends 23 and 25 of sheet member 18 are drawnadjacent to frame 13 to prevent the weight 57 from inadvertentlyslipping from the attachment. The reason that pocket means 47 iscomprised of three spaced apart pocket members is to prevent a bulgingor folding of the pocket means when the curved weight is insertedthereinto. If a fold or bulge were created, it would not be pos sible toplace the attachment in close proximity to the frame 13 of the tennisracket.

If it is desired to utilize a heavier weight in the attachrnent, it issimply necessary to substitute a ditlerent weight. Larger and heavierweights would normally have a thicker central diameter but the curvatureof the weight would remain the same to permit it to be placed adjacentframe 13' of the tennis racket. The ability of pocket means 47 to expandto receive larger weights makes the attachment much more versatile. TheV-shaped notches at either side of the attachment permits the sheetmember to be bent or deflected to the position of FIG. 6 withoutundesirable wrinkling or bulging of the attachment. The attachment maybe secured to the tennis racket and left thereon during periods ofactual practice without interfering with the ball striking the stringnetwork. It can be appreciated that the weight added to the tennisracket will elfectively strengthen the hand, wrist, arm and shoulder ofthe user.

Thus it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of itsstated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of mypractice weight attachment for tennis rackets without departing from thereal spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to coverby my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanicalequivalents which may 'be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tennis racket having a frame, a practice weightattachment for said tennis racket,

a flexible sheet member having inner and outer surfaces, opposite sidesand opposite ends,

a pocket means on the inner surface of said sheet member,

a weight means in said pocket means,

and means on said sheet member securing it to said frame of said tennisracket.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said weight means is elongated andis curved along its length to conform to the shape of a portion of saidframe.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said pocket means is expandable toreceive different sizes of weights therein.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said sheetmember to said frame of said tennis racket includes a lace meansextending through openings along said opposite sides of said sheetmember and around said frame.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said weight means is elongated andcurved along its length, the opposite ends of said weight means beingtapered with respect to the central portion of said weight means tofacilitate insertion of said weight means into said pocket means.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said pocket means is comprised ofthree spaced apart elastic pocket members.

7. In combination with a tennis racket having a frame, a practice weightattachment for said tennis racket,

an elongated flexible sheet member having inner and outer surfaces,opposite sides and opposite ends,

an elongated pocket means secured to the inner surface of said sheetmember,

a weight means in said pocket means,

said sheet member having a plurality of openings formed along each ofits sides adapted to receive a lace means extending therethrough tosecure said sheet member to said frame of said tennis racket so thatsaid pocket means is adjacent a portion of said frame.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said sheet member has a pluralityof V-shaped notches at each of its opposite sides so that said sheetmember may be deflected to conform to the shape of a portion of saidframe.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said pocket means is comprised ofthree spaced apart pocket members so that said sheet member may bedeflected to conform to the shape of a portion of said frame of saidtennis racket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,241,833 5/ 1941 Waller 272-572,620,186 12/1952 Beeaff 273194 2,737,394 3/1956 Abel 273-194 FOREIGNPATENTS 211,176 2/1924 Great Britain. 310,350 4/ 1929 Great Britain.310,566 5/ 1929 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

R. I. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TENNIS RACKET HAVING A FRAME, A PRACTICE WEIGHTATTACHMENT FOR SAID TENNIS RACKET, A FLEXIBLE SHEET MEMBER HAVING INNERAND OUTER SURFACES, OPPOSITE SIDES AND OPPOSITE ENDS, A POCKET MEANS ONTHE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SHEET MEMBER, A WEIGHT MEANS IN SAID POCKETMEANS, AND MEANS ON SAID SHEET MEMBER SECURING IT TO SAID FRAME OF SAIDTENNIS RACKET.